My first day in college seemed like a great punishment for my past life sins as I sprinted off in my short black skirt and white long-sleeved shirt adorned with a red tie and black laced shoes with no socks

our goddamn uniform but I forgot my socks

. I ran inside to find myself thirty minutes late and the first introduction period over only to gain glares from my new private tutor Mrs. Roxanne who gave me her apologies despite the irritated sighs of Tania who had been saying an intro speech and my interruption having made her forget her practiced lines.

I gave my apologies and my pair of blue eyes ran over the chairs and benches neatly arranged, none seeming to be empty. The only ones that I didn't wish to have were the front seat and I closed my one eye in the count of three in the hope that it was occupied by some nerdy despite the fact I knew my stars weren't right that day.

THREE ..................TWO....................ONE............BINGO!

"What are you doing at the door ? Playing Hide and seek with some random fellow we cannot see?", came Mrs. Roxanne's twitching voice while she crossed my arms and stared in my direction. The entire class roared in pretended admiration at her lame joke while I stared blankly at the free seats at the front.

Oh Shit! The only seats free are there. Why does it have to be .................there???

I blinked twice while I shrugged my shoulders in exasperation of how my bad day had turned out to be very bad. Mrs. Roxanne didn't leave my silence and took her open opportunity, "You are not gonna have a better choice. To occupy the front seats, dear latecomer."

I sighed and walked to the front seat, attracting all the eyes of the boys and girls who sat there with some chewing on gum while others gossiping about my glossy style or my too tall for a girl figure when Mrs. Roxanne grabbed me by the shoulder suddenly.

"Latecomer needs a punishment and I ask suggestions", came her mocking voice as she turned to my new set of friends. I tried to let go off her stronghold but she had a tiger's grip, let me tell ya. She forced me to stand facing my friends who I didn't have any idea about while she tried to figure out whose suggestion to catch when the hands went going up with many"Me Miss" and "I got a good one " etc.....

Mrs. Roxanne finally settled on a bet when she saw my pouting eyes and my lips mouthing, "please.....please..."

"Introduce yourself and then you get a slight discount on my punishment for you."

Discount? What is this? Some wholesale retail shop where I came to buy my garments and inners?

But I never leave my open opportunities too, like Mrs. Roxanne. We were pretty similar in that.

I cleared my throat and turned to meet the eyes of my new freshman buddies who sat all mixed up in genders, sizes, and shapes. The bullies seemed to have occupied the back seats which was sure because of their huge attitude and their sharing of lollipops to only the gang guys while the nerds who were few in number as always were in the sides near the windows where they remained in their mathematical and science worlds while the front was always left for the quiet and late coming silly dudes. The problem is that the latter is always who end up getting ragged and being slaves to the backbenchers.

Taylor's advice was right and I should have listened to him! Holy Crap!

"I am Henna and everyone calls me Henn. I live near the Highway junction in Street 45 just beside Rocklye's Pharmacy ."

A fat boy who had his legs on his table with his black shorts and muscles exposed T-shirt in the backbench laughed and shouted,"So if we need medications, you gonna go and get it for us darl?"

I nodded with clenched fists and the entire class cheered. Mrs. Roxanne banged on the table to gain silence and gestured me to continue with a bite on her lower lip at my side. She was gazing at something through me and I wish I could turn and figure out what had caught her eyes but I had to continue before another comment came up from my nonchalant pack of sixty loser-like friends.

" I got a brother who studies as a sophomore here itself but he banged out when he got a good job in Los Angeles while my mom and dad stick to being doctors in the government hospital downtown."

A loud cackle and giggle emerged from the back again. It was a girl with black underwear who was trying to expose her legs to the maximum as she shoved up her skirt a little bit higher at the chance she got, stood, and asked with a casual smirk, "Doctors huh? So what about you treat us when we are sick?"

I'll treat you to death, cute girl!

I didn't wanna leave the opportunity to diss her off but a good impression is what matters in the beginning so I kept my blabbermouth shut. I continued after a shy smile," I love painting, dancing, and anything made in chocolate. My grades are fine but I gotta make them better which is why I chose this college for future studies. Thanks."

The entire class cheered with some whistles and some smelly shirts waving in the air and I bowed in respect and gratitude which seemed to come out with huge difficulty after the smirks and giggles I had observed in the middle of my intro. However, I tried to keep myself real and turned to my teacher who was staring at someone near the window with her body shrinking and curving itself in different emotions.

I stared into her eyes to gain her attention and she came back to her senses immediately. I turned to see what she was looking at but she held me with the tiger's hold and gestured me to shut my mouth. I inclined because I was hoping for a discount after my embarrassing intro.

"My discount?", I asked hopefully.

She smirked and teasingly held my arms, "Your discount is that you get to chose who lends you your punishment for late coming. "

Oh great!

This was gonna be one hell of a college...